|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Day Democracy Died in California
The Taxpayer Protection Act, a product of private grassroots groups, is dead. And with it, direct democracy – California’s last, best hope – is also dead.
On June 20, the California Supreme Court ruled that the Taxpayer Protection Act, a ballot initiative that would have given voters veto power over new taxes, was a violation of the state constitution. The initiative, for which proponents had already gathered nearly 1.5 million signatures to qualify it for the ballot, was a desperate attempt by taxpayers and businesses to get California’s state and local government spending under control.
The court decision hinged on whether the initiative’s language constituted a “revision” of the state’s constitution or an “amendment.” The answer to this question is subjective and hinges on the “totality of the impact on the basic constitutional powers of government entities.” Ignoring ample contradictory evidence and precedent, the court decided that the changes proposed by the initiative were sufficiently sweeping to categorize it as a revision to the state constitution, and unlike amendments, revisions to the state constitution are only possible if the initiative is brought to voters by an act of the state legislature.
Thus, the Taxpayer Protection Act, which was a product of private grassroots groups, is dead. And with it, direct democracy – California’s last, best hope – is also dead.
Everything about this situation evokes a frustration that defies description. When assessing the “totality” of taxes and fees – sales tax, utility tax, excise tax, carbon emissions fees, payroll tax, income tax, property tax, permit fees, registration fees, payments on state bonds, municipal bonds, school bonds, the gasoline tax… the list of various fees on businesses is endless – Californians pay more to support their government than anywhere else in America. It is oppressive and it is driving people and businesses to flee to other states while it smothers the households and businesses that remain. The only people left making real money are the tech giants.
